Militaire parade bij amfitheater 1664

This is Israel Silvestre's etching of a military parade at an amphitheater. Note the ordered ranks of soldiers and the controlled movements of horses, symbols of power and martial prowess in the 17th century. Such displays echo the triumphal processions of ancient Rome, a cultural thread stretching across millennia. Think of the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius—an image reborn and reinterpreted throughout the Renaissance and beyond. Here, it manifests as a choreographed spectacle, a dance of might intended to impress and dominate. This symbolic control extends beyond military might. The parade serves as a potent projection of authority, tapping into a deep-seated human desire for order and stability. It is a calculated performance where power is aestheticized, and dominance becomes a visual feast for the subconscious. An attempt to turn psychological power into literal military strength, perpetually marching through the ages.